O’Ban urges governor to stop release of three convicted sex offenders

In a letter sent to Gov. Jay Inslee yesterday, Senator Steve O’Ban, R-University Place, calls on the governor to halt plans by the Special Commitment Center on McNeil Island to release three Level 3 male sex offenders into the community of Lakewood.

In the letter, the 28th Legislative District lawmaker urges the governor to reconsider the Department of Social and Health Services’ plan to release these offenders and consider transferring them to an enhanced service facility outside of Pierce County. All three have committed violent acts including: child rape, communication with a minor for immoral purposes and murder of a child. The proposed release of these convicted sex offenders to Lakewood has generated significant distress in the community.

O’Ban also raised questions of community safety, the “dumping” of a share of the state’s violent offenders into his Pierce County district and sufficient safeguards with local law enforcement officials to provide ongoing monitoring of these individuals.

“There is no excuse for the release into a residential community of families, nearby schools and parks of these three men with a history of extreme violence towards children,” said O’Ban. “These men have committed horrific acts outside Pierce County and we need to ensure the safety of our community before allowing them to live in an unsecure residential location in any region of our state. I am calling on all local leaders to urge the governor to stop the release of these dangerous sex offenders into Pierce County and instead into appropriate, secure facilities in the counties where they committed their crimes.”

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